Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-25
CONTAMINATED WELLS.
How Poison Is Scattered, Consciously al
Unconsciously, on Many Farms.

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How Poison Is Scattered, Consciously an
Unconsciously, on Many Farms.
1t man were to go abroad in hi
garden and fields and scatter Paris
green or any other deadly poison owe
the cabbages and other vegetables. OF
the strawberries and fruits; and in tn
closets in the house were to dust tn
bread and other food with some sucl
virulent poison, he would be COUNTIES
lunatic or a most reckless criminal
If he did not know what he was doing
he might be acquitted of criminality
but the results of his ignorance would
be no less disastrous and deadly.
| But thousands, nay tens of thou
sands of persons are daily and hourly
Iscattering abroad equally virulen
Ipoison. without knowing, and some
alas! with full knowledge, but mos
amazing carelessness, and injecting
themselves and their most loved one.
with deadly diseases. 1t is in summer
that this ever-present and ever-incre as
ing danger is most imminent, and
this danger exists in the worst form
in which it can come, viz. !: in the water
we drink. Decaying organic matter is
one of the worst of poisons; it reeks
with germs whose Office in nature is to
disorganize and destroy all matter.
AS regards dead and waste matter,
these germs, like animals which are
carrion consumers, serve a useful pur-
pose; but as regards living creatures.
they are most injurious and destructive.
Strangely, too, they are most abundant
and deadly in rural localities, where
| purity and health are most expected,
When taken into the animal system
they attack the blood, being carried
there most easily, and produce various
fevers, diarrhea, dysentery (the COM
monty called summer complaint and
typical of the prev ailing danger de-
scribed), and in thousands of cases
these disorders are fatal. Friends
wonder why in so healthful locality,
where pure air abounds, these diseases
should be so frequent, and honestly
able-''providential is the term
used. Surely in many cases the sins
and neglects of the parents are visited
upon the children who are the first to
suffer.
Impure water is the prevailing cause,
and the centers of infections are the
wells. Water is large part of the
substance of person. The human
body consists mainly of water seventy
five per cent. of it being thus composed.
All this part of the system is absorbed
in the water we drink. and if the
source of all this part of our body is
impure, how can we exist? tits amaz-
ing, considering the vast amount Of
impurity taken into the stomach and
absorbed by the blood. that pestilences
are not prevailing every year, when
the heat contributes very much to the
rapid decomposition of the household
wastes which are cast out and accum-
ulate in the cesspools. slush pools,
open drains, sinks, stables, yards,
pig pens and various other CEN
tiers of foulness. Where does it all 60?
The rains wash it into the soil and
it sinks gradually deeper and deeper,
spreading laterally all the while until
it finds an outlet with the saltwater
into the well or a spring from which
the household supply may be taken. 1t
is only question of time when a new
made cesspool, new slop-hole, leak
ing drain, will discharge its dangerous
and deadly contents into the new-made
we'll An expert examining the ground
and the soil and figuring the rainfall,
can tell you, within few months, when
the danger will eliminate and the
deadly poison flow into the we'll.
But you say the soil will filter the
water and keep back the impurity, or
its approach may be known by sight,
taste or smell. No such thing. A filter
can not always act and will become
fouled in time and the stream of fifth,
like s1ow-moving time, is always go
ing to the outlet The soil oxidizes
decaying organic matter, and this
action makes the poison more active
and fatal.
What is the remedy? A bandon the
dangerous system and go back-for-
ward is the better word to that incul-
Gated by the philosopher of ancient
times, Moses. Read the Mosaic laws
pertaining to cleanliness. hygiene and
health. Cleanliness with Moses was a
prevailing and paramount law. and
part of the Jews religion. 1t ought to
be still more so among Christians. and
in this age of intelligence and news
papers and books. There is an easy
remedy. Abandon the poisonous cess
pool and use the dry earth-closet,
which was the system prevailing in
the Mosaic time, and is no new thing.
Dry earth is a most effective deodorizer
and disinfectant Its porosity favors a |
most complete oxid alton of organic
matter, and in practice this action is
so complete that the earth taken
from closet has been used |
over and over again after short in |
tervals for rest for ten times. and still |
fully exerted the desired effect. The |
same method should be employed for
The house and kitchen waste. The |
outlet of the drain should be made in |
\ tight, shallow box, which is kept !
we'll supplied with dry earth The
earth from these receptacles may be
used as top dressing for grass land;
and lawn may be kept in the finest
by the use of this excellent
fertilizer, and little fresh seed sown
I have used this soil
or a rosebed in which had one hum
ired varieties of tea-roses. and the |
Effect was marvellous. For all sorts OF
lowering plants. the soil from the